~Part 1~

Damn! Spike cursed and chucked another load of books onto the floor with a crash. Still no luck! He wasn't cut out for this scholarly crap.

It seemed like he'd been searching through these dusty tomes forever and he still hadn't found anything that could cure him of his obsession with
Drusilla. She'd left him again, of course. Run off with a fungus demon this time, as if the chaos demon wasn't bad enough. Honestly, he thought, you give a woman a century of your life, well...death, whatever, and what do you get in return? Chewed up and spat out, that's what. Well, not any more! He was going to find some way to get her out of his head if it was the last thing he did.

He rubbed at his bloodshot eyes; he hadn't slept or fed in far too long. He couldn't even summon up enough enthusiasm for a quick snack to keep his strength up. This was what she'd turned him into - a pathetic, lovesick puppy. Bloody hell, he'd be even wetter than Angel at the rate he was going.

Still, he couldn't give up the search. He sensed he was close to finding something. Maybe if he just looked in one more book, he'd find the answer.
He pulled one towards him, opening the cover with a resounding thud and sending a cloud of dust particles to dance wildly in the lamplight. He
skimmed through the dry pages, still not quite sure exactly what it was he was looking for, knowing only that he'd recognize it when he saw it. And
then, suddenly, there it was...

Just a glimmer at first; something catching his eye and making him go back to read it more thoroughly. Of course! He slammed his hand down onto the table in triumph. A heart cleansing spell. Scanning through the directions, he frowned in concentration, blue eyes focused intently on what could turn out to be his salvation. It seemed simple enough - he could probably do it himself. At least he wouldn't have to go back and pester that cute little witch again. As it was, last time he'd left without getting the love spell anyway...after making a drunken fool of himself by snivelling all over her and making juvenile threats.

Then he caught sight of something on the page before him that derailed his train of thought. Oh no, that was all he needed, he thought in cynical
amusement. He hoped to Satan this book had got its facts wrong because, if it hadn't, he was headed back to Sunnyhell after all.

Apparently, the spell needed the blood of a witch who was pure of heart and Spike only knew one of those. Somehow, he didn't think she'd be welcoming him back with open arms. Still, he'd always enjoyed a challenge, he thought, as he picked up the book and sauntered out to his car, a spring in his step for the first time in weeks.

He paused as he opened the door of the battered black vehicle and drew the air into his redundant lungs. The smell was pure, clean, untainted by evil. Nothing like Sunnydale, where the fear and nastiness seemed to float on the breeze to the acute senses of a vampire. He realised with a jolt that he'd kind of missed the old place. Tossing the book onto the passenger seat, he got in and slammed the door. Grinning, he gunned the engine and pealed out of town with a squeal of rubber. He was going home...
 

~Part 2~

Willow swirled the beer round in her glass, idly watching it whirlpool up the sides. She didn't know what she was doing here at the Bronze. She hadn't really wanted to come out. The truth was she didn't really feel up to doing much of anything lately, not since Oz had left.

They'd been drifting apart for quite a while but somehow it had still come as a shock when he'd decided to go on the road with the band...and said he thought they should see other people.

See other people? Hah, that was a joke. The only people she saw lately were the usual crowd - Buffy, Xander, Giles. They tried to help but Willow didn't really feel like talking about it with them. They had bigger problems to worry about than her werewolf boyfriend going walkies. On a scale of one to ten on the Hellmouth, that didn't even make it into the single digits. How could she complain about breaking up with Oz when Buffy's boyfriend had turned into a murdering demon and got sent to Hell one year and then left her to move to L.A. the next? By comparison, Willow's problems seemed almost trivial, but they didn't feel that way to her.

It would be nice to have *somebody* to talk to about it, though, she thought. Someone who really understood the feelings of abandonment, of
neglect, and what it was like to be in the middle of a crowd and still feel like you were all alone in the world. "Yeah right, Wills," she whispered.
The chances of her finding anyone like that around here were pretty low. "Dream on."

She looked over at the dancefloor and the figures gyrating to the pounding beat. Buffy was laughing at Xander's mad antics. He'd never quite grasped the finer points of dancing. They were good friends, true friends, but Willow couldn't help hungering for something more, a deeper connection, a soulmate. She sighed heavily and swirled the beer in her glass once more before taking a swig. She went back to studying the shadowy figures on the dancefloor, wishing she had someone to be that close with.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Spike sped past the 'Welcome to Sunnydale' sign with a grin and thought over the plan he'd worked out. It wasn't going to be easy getting the little witch away from her friends and the spell insisted that the blood had to be given willingly to be effective, which had really put a crimp on all his
earliest ideas.

Simply grabbing her and draining her dry wouldn't cut it. He had to persuade her to help him from the goodness of her heart. Just the thought made Spike feel vaguely queasy. The only way he could think of to get close to the girl was to reinstate his truce with the bloody Slayer. Helping her get rid of Angelus a couple of years ago had gone against the grain, but needs must when the devil nicks your girlfriend...

He hoped he could persuade the Slayer to adopt a 'no hard feelings' attitude over kidnapping the witch and the wanker a few months ago. He'd only damaged them a little bit when all's said and done and he'd given them back afterwards. Pretty generous, to his way of thinking. Especially that bloke with the smart mouth who'd been getting frisky with the witch - he really put Spike's back up, that one. But, instead of gutting him like a hog and leaving him out for the rats, which would have been infinitely more fun, Spike had let him go free. The way he figured things, the Slayer owed him big time for that act of forbearance.

Anyway, he'd have to take the chance and track the little group down. If he approached them in a public place, they'd have no choice but to listen to him. Neutral ground, sort of thing. He headed the car towards the Bronze, figuring the chances were pretty good of finding them there. And if they weren't, he'd just keep looking...he had too much riding on this to give up that easily.
 

~Part 3~

Spike stood in the doorway to the club for a moment, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness. It didn't take long - just one advantage of being a vampire. He scanned the crowds of teenagers and twenty-somethings, looking for a familiar face. Then he saw her, sitting by herself at a table on the other side of the room. Perfect, he thought, and went to move towards her. Just then, the Slayer and that annoying prat walked over to speak to her, though, and Spike hissed in frustration.

He'd really wanted to talked to her alone first, since she was the most sympathetic towards him. Well, he could wait, he supposed, and hope the
other two would leave her on her own again in a minute.

He crossed to the bar to bide his time and ordered a beer. The bartender looked as if he was going to ask for ID and then took a second look and
thought better of it, handing across the drink without a word. Spike settled himself against the bar and watched the Slayerette trio with a feral gleam in his eyes.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

"Will, come dance," said Buffy breathlessly, as she approached her friend's table. "You love this song."

Willow muttered something noncommittal.

"Oh, come on. It'll make you feel better, release endorphins, sort of thing," said Buffy.

"Nice to see Science class didn't totally pass you by," said Willow, with a faint smile.

"Hey, it's only 'cause they're connected to chocolate and sex," protested Xander. "Even *I* paid attention to that bit." He sat down next to Willow
and draped an arm around her shoulder. "So, you gonna come humiliate me on the dancefloor?"

"Gee, I don't know," said Willow. "Seemed like you were doing a pretty good job of that on your own."

Xander pressed a clenched fist to his chest. "Ouch! You wound me." He grinned. "Come on, Will. I know you've been depressed lately, what with this whole Oz thing, but we're all in the same club when you think about it. Buffy's lost Angel, I've lost Cordelia..."

"Yeah, but you have Anya now," pointed out Willow, "and even Buffy's been sizing up some of the guys at college. I just can't believe there's anyone out there for me. It took me sixteen years to get my first boyfriend - I'd rather not wait that long again."

"Of course there's someone out there for you, Will," exclaimed Buffy, reaching across the table to squeeze her friend's hand. "You just haven't
found the guy who really appreciates how wonderful you are yet. You're pretty, you're loyal and you're way smarter than the average bear," she
added with an encouraging smile.

But the smile she got from Willow in return was half-hearted at best. Eventually, the pair gave up trying to persuade her to join them and got up
to dance again.

"You're sure you don't mind sitting here on your own?" asked Buffy.

"I'm fine," said Willow. "Go ahead. Enjoy yourselves. I'd rather be alone right now, anyway."

Buffy nodded. "Okay, honey. Come on, Xander. Time for me to whup your ass on the dancefloor again."

"Well, sure," he replied. "But don't you think we could find a less public place for that sort of thing?" Buffy rolled her eyes and dragged him off.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Spike drank his beer and watched the scene play out on the other side of the room. He was so engrossed in watching the little redhead that he didn't notice the girl sitting next to him until she spoke.

"You must be new in town," she said in a tone of rapt fascination. "I don't remember seeing you here before."

"I've been away," said Spike flatly. "Now I'm back."

She seemed to take the fact that he'd replied as an encouragement and began wittering on about her life, school and boys, and the fact that older men were a much better alternative. Spike thought about telling her his real age to shut her up but decided against it.

"So what do you do when you're not hanging out at the Bronze?" she asked finally.

Spike turned and looked at her, one eyebrow raised. Damn, but she was vapid. "I'm a phlebotomist," he said, with a totally straight face.

"Wow, that sounds really interesting," she gushed. "Do you, like, work in a lab or something?"

"Nah, pretty much freelance. I'm sort of a roving blood-taker."

"That must be so exciting."

"You have no idea."

He was just wondering if he'd have to take her outside and drink her in order to escape when he saw that the Slayer and the bloke had left the
little witch to go dancing again. He seized the opportunity.

"Sorry, love, I'll have to go now," he interrupted when she drew breath. "I'm meeting my girlfriend here and I've just caught sight of her. Nice
talking to you," he said with only a hint of sarcasm before threading his way across the room, judiciously avoiding contact with the Slayer for the
moment.

He slid onto the seat next to Willow and leaned in close to whisper in her ear. "Hello, pet. D'you miss me?"
 

~Part 4~

Willow's eyes widened with shock. "Sp...Sp..."

"I think the name you're stuggling over there is Spike, pet," said the vampire in question, reaching over to gently close Willow's gapingmouth. "Nice to know I can still leave you speechless. Means I haven'tcompletely lost my touch," he added with a wicked grin.

Willow looked down at the drink in his hand. "Are you drunk again?"

"Nah, not this time, just a little Dutch courage. It's not easy comingback here, you know." He shook his head. "Lots of memories."

"You mean of Drusilla?" Willow wasn't sure why she asked, or why the vampire's obvious love for his deranged mate had always made her feel
vaguely envious. It must feel nice to be loved so completely and unconditionally, she supposed, dismissing her feelings as nothing morethan hopes of one day having that same connection with someone. "You didn'tcome back to make me do that love spell, did you?" she asked nervously, asshe
remembered their last encounter.

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't take her back now if she came crawling onher knees over hot coals and broken glass." He looked thoughtful for amoment.

"Well, okay, maybe then, but it's not going to happen. She's foundherself someone new and run off with him. Bitch!" he exclaimed with suppressedheat, picking at the label on the bottle in his hand.

Before Willow could think about what she was doing, she reached over to cover his hand with hers. "I know how you feel," she said. Spike looked up, surprised. "How's that?"

"Oz, my boyfriend, well, former boyfriend," she clarified with agrimace, "decided fame and fortune mattered more to him than I did. He went offto
tour with his band and broke up with me."

"He was a pillock," said Spike succinctly.

"Actually, he was a werewolf. I think that's what drove us apart in theend. He needed something that I just couldn't give him."

"You went out with a werewolf?" Spike laughed. "Are you working yourway through the creatures of the night or something? 'Cause, if you are,I'm
available..." He raised one eyebrow and smirked - there really was noother word for it.Willow suppressed a smile. He was so outrageous it was impossible to hatehim, even when he was really wicked. "And there was I thinking you were heartbroken and inconsolable."

"Depends on who's doing the consoling, babe. You volunteering?" Willow blushed. "I don't think so. You're way out of my league."

"Don't underestimate yourself," he said with a wink and took a swig ofbeer. Willow was getting flustered - she changed the subject. "You do realisethat Buffy's not going to be too happy to see you back in town?"

"What? After I so generously helped her out the last couple of times Iwas here. Some people have no sense of gratitude." He shook his head inmockdisgust.

"Well, you kinda neutralised any help you gave Buffy last time by thefact that you kidnapped and threatened her two best friends at the sametime. Not your smartest ever move." She couldn't believe she'd just criticised a vampire. Oh, Goddess, she thought, I must have lost my mind talking tohim like this, like he's an ordinary guy...well not ordinary, Spike couldnever be considered ordinary, but...never mind, Willow. Spike didn't appear to have noticed her distraction. He was drawingpatterns in the condensation on the table. "Yeah, well, I meant to say sorry for that. You know, frightening you and all that. It was...unnecessary. Iwas out of my mind and totally pissed, that's my only excuse."

"You don't have to make excuses. You're a vampire. Mindless crueltykind of comes with the territory, doesn't it?"

He looked almost offended. "Just 'cause I'm a demon doesn't mean I haveno free will, Red. I can choose to be nasty and evil or I can choose to be
nice. Admittedly, the first one is usually more interesting," he saidwith another grin, "but I like you and I wouldn't have hurt you really, soI'm sorry I scared you."

"You like me?" Willow's eyes were wide again. "But you hardly know me."

"That's easily changed." There was that smirk again. "And I like what Iknow so far. There's more to you than meets the eye."

"Is that a subtle way of saying I'll never get ahead on my looks?" Willow asked, secretly hurt that Spike might think her plain.

"Oh, Red, you haven't been hanging around with the right blokes," hesaid, a peculiar and unfamiliar expression on his face. "Don't you know how
beautiful you are, with those huge eyes and white skin and..." his eyes wandered down below her face and narrowed, "as for the rest of you,I'll
spare your blushes, pet, but don't ever think you're unattractive, orI'll prove to you just how attractive you really are."

Willow felt her skin grow hot. No man had ever made her feel so awarewith so little effort. This wasn't good. Well, actually it was, but in abad, badway.

* * * * * * * * *

Spike watched the little redhead. She was almost squirming under his scrutiny. He liked that. He liked it a lot. She was probably going tochange
the subject again any minute now.

"So, I'm guessing you didn't come all this way just to say sorry to mefor being an ass," she said. "Why are you really back in Sunnydale?" Yep, there she goes. Avoiding anything even remotely intimate, asusual. Thoroughly amused by now, Spike considered his next answer carefully.He couldn't afford to give away his true intentions, but he'd come up with a plausible reason to cover his return.

"There've been some rumours, among the vampire community, about a bunch of commandos abducting and experimenting on vampires and other ethnic minorities of Sunnydale. I promised some of my people I'd look into itand I thought the Slayer might know something." He shrugged. "If she doesn't,she should. I get the impression this lot would find her just asinteresting as the rest of us weirdos." That at least was the truth. Some of hisminions had mentioned the problem to him a few weeks back and it provided a convenient and believable excuse for his presence.

"Actually, now you mention it, we've seen some strange guys wanderingthe campus, dressed like soldiers. But it's the first I've heard of them
targeting vampires." Willow was obviously sceptical but Spike thoughthe'd be able to convince her. Unfortunately, at that moment, a familiarvoice
accompanied a hand gripping his shoulder.

"You'd better have a damn good excuse for being here, Fangboy, 'cause I haven't killed anyone in over twenty-four hours and my stake hand isfeeling real twitchy 'bout now."to be continued...
 

~Part 5~

Spike warily eyed the deceptively innocent-looking blonde girl who now hovered threateningly at his shoulder.

"Slayer," he said, "I'd say it's a pleasure to see you again but we both know it'd be a lie."

"You'd better have an explanation for why you're eyeing up my friend's neck...again!"

Spike mentally calculated which response was likely to piss her off the least but, before he had a chance to say anything, Willow leapt to his defence.

"Don't jump to conclusions, Buffy. Spike's here to help. He has news and I think you should hear it."

Buffy and Xander looked as shocked as Spike felt. He refused to analyse the strangely warm glow he felt in his chest at having someone...Willow...stick up for him.

"The witch is right," he said. "You'll regret it if you don't listen to what I have to say."

"Not half as much as I'll regret not killing you."

"Patience is a virtue," said Spike, sarcastically.

"Yeah, well, no one ever said I was virtuous."

Spike snorted. "You got that right. How is Angel these days?"

Buffy raised her hand to slap him but he caught it and the two glared at each other for a few seconds before Willow spoke again.

"If kindergarten's done for the day, I think we should go back to Giles' house and get the full story from Spike."

Both vampire and Slayer looked vaguely sheepish at the reprimand and Buffy agreed to Willow's plan, albeit reluctantly. Spike didn't really want to go to the Watcher's place either, but he knew he had to stay close to his witch so he'd have to keep up the helpful act no matter how much it turned his stomach. He paused. When exactly had he started thinking of the little redhead as 'his' witch?

"Snap out of it, you great prat," he muttered to himself as they left the club. "The last thing you need right now is to get messed up by another female."

* * * * * * * * *

"So let me get this straight," said Giles, wearily removing his glasses and pinching the bridge of his nose. "There is an organized unit of soldiers...on campus...who are fighting vampires, demons and other creatures of the night...and no one has noticed anything?" He was openly sceptical, sure that Spike was up to something nefarious, but unable to deduce what that might be.

"Hey, it's not my fault if you lot are unobservant," said Spike, a touch defensively. "It's common knowledge in the undead community. Apparently, they've been up to these tricks for quite a while."

"I'm sorry, but I find that hard to believe."

"It could be true, Giles," said Buffy grudgingly. Agreeing with Spike went against her basic moral code so she obviously meant what she said. "There's definitely something strange going on at UCS. Willow and I have seen these GI Joe wannabes a couple of times now but I just dismissed it as your typical, run-of-the-mill Hellmouth-type weirdness."

"And that would be why you didn't see fit to mention them to me?" enquired Giles testily.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, Watcher," smirked Spike, blatantly enjoying the trouble he was causing. "I'm sure there's loads of stuff she doesn't tell you."

"Hey, deadguy," said Buffy. "When I want your input, I'll ask for it. Now butt out!" She turned to Giles and switched on the little-girl smile that he'd never been able to resist. "Giles, I would have told you if I'd thought it was important. It's just that I know you've had a lot on your mind lately and I didn't want to get things all worked up over nothing."

"Yes, well," said Giles, getting flustered, then excited at the prospect of a research challenge. "If, as you say, these people do exist, we definitely need to investigate. They could well be, as Spike suggested, a threat to you. I'm not sure an operation like this would distinguish between good and evil supernatural creatures."

"I'm a 'supernatural creature'?" asked Buffy with a chirpy grin.

"Well, you are certainly more than human, so...yes, I think you could be considered such."

"Cool!" said Buffy.

"It may not be if these people get their hands on you. I'll start looking into it as soon as possible."

Xander interrupted. "Not to rain on your research parade, Giles, but there's a teeny little problem we haven't addressed yet." He jerked his thumb in Spike's direction, snatching it back quickly as Spike pretended to bite. "What do we do about the Duke of Darkness here? Can we trust him out of our sight?"

"Can we trust him in it?" said Buffy.

"I don't see that we have any choice," said Giles. "We need his contacts in the underworld to keep up with what's going on. We'll just have to accept that he wants to stop these people as much as we do and not turn our backs on him for a second."

Spike grinned. "We'll be just like one big, happy family," he said sweetly.

"All those in favour of disowning Evil Cousin William, say aye," quipped Xander.

As the two began bickering, Giles looked over at Willow, who was perched on the side of the couch where Spike lounged. She'd been strangely quiet during the conversation and now she seemed to be deep in thought. They all knew she'd been having some problems adjusting after Oz had left but he'd thought she was on the mend. He hoped she wasn't sickening for something...
 

~Part 6~

It had been a couple of weeks now since Spike had ostensibly joined the Scooby gang. He didn't like to think about which position he
occupied relative to the original series - probably Scrappy Doo, he reflected, since he arrived later in the scheme of things. Being a vampire
meant a lot more time to watch TV and Spike had long been a fan of Saturday morning cartoons, but that didn't mean he wanted to be in
one. If the Slayer and friends were any more sickly sweet he was in danger of having a sugar rush.

The only bright spot in his existence at the moment was the chance to watch his witch when she wasn't aware of it. There was a sort of
natural sensuality in every movement she made and it was almost enough to make Spike's blood run hot. He would find himself licking his
fangs unconsciously as he watched her and then be disgusted with himself at his lack of control. More than once he'd had to remind himself
of his original purpose in coming to Sunnydale at all - to remove Dru's influence from his heart and his life for good so he could get on with
his former evil existence.

They hadn't had much luck in finding out who the commandoes were, let alone what they were up to, although the Slayer had had another
couple of run-ins with them. Spike had sourly pointed out that she might get more information if she stopped making insulting sarcastic
comments and seduced one of them instead, kind of like a 'mini-skirted Mata Hari'.

She hadn't been impressed, giving him one of her patented death glares and tapping a stake meaningfully in the palm of her hand. He
wouldn't be surprised if she left them lying strategically round the place, hoping he'd fall on one and do her a favour. Fat chance of that. He
was having far too much fun flirting with Red to harbour any suicidal tendencies. Besides, he refused to make the Slayer's day on principle
(and to think people said he didn't have any!)

"Hi, Spike," came a soft familiar voice from over his shoulder and he almost smiled. Willow. He was surprised he hadn't smelled her
approaching but the Bronze was packed tonight and ripe with the scent of teenage arousal. He turned and quirked an eyebrow.

"Hello, Red. What, no Slayer?" he said mockingly.

She shook her head. "Buffy and I had a bit of a fight."

He'd wondered what had suppressed her natural exuberance. A rift with the Slayer could play right into his hands. "What about?"

She plunked herself down on the seat next to him and sighed gustily. "Oh, I... er... did a spell that... um... well, it backfired a bit."

>From previous experience, he knew she was prone to understatement. "What exactly do you mean by 'a bit'?"

"Well, it was supposed to be a spell to help Buffy and Giles work together better. Kind of intensify the Watcher/Slayer bond thing. You know
about that, right?"

Spike thought it better not to mention that his familiarity with the Slayer mythos came from slaughtering two of them. "Sure," he said. "But,
and correct me if I'm wrong, didn't he get fired from being her Watcher?"

"Well, yeah, I guess," Willow admitted reluctantly. "But that's why I thought the spell would be a good idea. They haven't been as close since
then and I thought if they could get that old bond back it might help them. Unfortunately, it didn't exactly go according to plan..."

Spike was amused now and more than a little intrigued. "So what did it do then, this spell? Turn them into frogs?"

"Ugh, no," Willow said, shuddering. "That would have been even worse. No, I just, well, kind of gave them a 'psychic' bond instead of a
'spiritual' one."

"The difference being?"

"With a spiritual bond, you... er... you can't read the other person's mind or know all their hidden desires," she said hurriedly, then became
defensive as Spike just stared at her. "I reversed it as quickly as I could but they've both been really snippy since - and not just with me,
either."

Spike let out a shout of laughter. "Oh, that's priceless, Red. She probably found out he's been dying to get in her knickers for three years."

"Giles wears women's underwear?!!" Willow was aghast and Spike laughed even harder until the penny visibly dropped. "Oh. Right. What,
really? All these years?"

"Of course. Hell, Red, if it were any more obvious he might as well have it tattooed on his bloody forehead." Spike shook his head, still
consumed by mirth. "Poor bastard. That whole Angel thing must have been torture for him." Then he realised what he'd said and started
sniggering again.

"Spike!" said Willow, looking at him reproachfully. "That's not funny!"

He composed himself with difficulty and tried to look sheepish. "Sorry, love."

"So what do you think I should do? Are they ever gonna speak to me again after this?" Worry gave her a cute little crinkle on the bridge of
her nose - Spike suppressed an inexplicable urge to kiss it away.

"Sure they will," he said, "but you should probably steer clear of them for a week or two until they sort themselves out or else the whole thing
blows over." He cast a quick calculating glance at her from under his lashes. "You can always hang out with me instead."

"Won't I be cramping your style?" Her tone was shy, wistful, and Spike found it hard to keep the triumph out of his voice. He had her. He
could almost taste victory.

"Hardly, love. Can't think of anyone I'd rather be with than you." She blushed and he watched with interest.

"Friends, then?" Willow said with a chirpy grin, holding out her hand to shake on it.

Spike took it but, instead of a polite, businesslike shake, he brought it up to his mouth and pressed a kiss to the pulse that fluttered in her
wrist, watching her reaction. He saw the awareness in her eyes and smiled, slowly, ferally. "Friends," he said softly. "At the very least..."

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